The City of Light is deprioritizing cars and aims to become “more human.”

Film and television production in Georgia slumped significantly during the first three months this year compared to the same period a year ago, signaling the industry’s rebound from the 2023 writers and actors strikes has been weaker than anticipated.

About 36% fewer scripted projects were actively filming in the first quarter compared to the first quarter of 2023, according to data from global production tracker ProdPro. This data does not track commercial or unscripted content, such as reality TV shows, or projects with a budget less than $5 million.

Read More at The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Water is flowing again across Atlanta, but a boil advisory remains in place for a swath of the city affected by a series of water main breaks that began on May 31.

The City of Atlanta’s social media posted this series of messages just after 8 a.m.:

We are pleased to announce that water services have been fully restored across the city,” We understand the significant inconvenience and hardships caused by this unexpected disruption, and we sincerely apologize to all affected residents.”

Water is an essential part of daily life, and we deeply regret the challenges you have faced. Your patience and understanding during this difficult time are greatly appreciated.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated men and women who worked tirelessly around the clock to make the necessary repairs. Their commitment and hard work have ensured the return of clean and safe water to our city.

A boil water advisory will remain in place until testing samples are approved by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). A new advisory map was released by the city last night.

Residents can also check if they are affected by the boil advisory using this interactive map.

Atlanta City Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari posted on social media Tuesday night that once water lines have been pressurized, the system must “incubate” for 18 hours before testing samples are sent to the EPD to determine if the boil water advisory can be lifted.

The full restoration of water service comes six days after a major water main broke in Vine City on the morning of May 31. Later that same evening, a second main broke in Midtown.

As Atlanta Watershed crews worked to repair the lines, the city suffered a complete loss of water or low water pressure. Not only were residents affected, but businesses and restaurants were forced to close, while major events were postponed or disrupted. The cost to the city is still unknown.

A “recovery fund” to assist small business owners impacted by the city of Atlanta’s water crisis is being established by the city.

Dickens told the city council that the new recovery fund would help small businesses “adversely affected” by the water woes that started Friday.

Councilmember Matt Westmoreland introduced the legislation to create the recovery fund. It calls for up to $5 million of city funds be transferred to Invest Atlanta, the city’s economic development agency.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

ATLANTA WATER CRISIS: See all of our coverage of the water crisis at this link.

The post Atlanta water service fully restored, but boil advisory remains appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

Are you concerned about hackers accessing, changing, or destroying your online data? Do you fear identity theft or ransomware attacks that could ruin your business? Due to ever-increasing cybercrime incidents, people are worrying the world over - but with nearly a million cybercrimes reported last year in the U.S., the problem here is clearly getting worse.

Oliver Page, the CEO of CyberNut, reveals which US states are most anxious about cybersecurity and explains how to protect yourself. 

What Can We Take From This Data?

Here are some key observations Oliver Page made about the data:

• The District of Columbia appears in the top ten. This could be due to the presence of many government bodies in the capital who are making their employees aware of the risks of cybercrime.

• States like New York, Maryland, and Virginia rank highly, likely reflecting their status as economic and technological hubs. 

• States with younger, more technologically savvy populations (like New York) may have higher awareness and concern about cybercrime, leading to more online searches.

• The table may reflect higher educational outreach and resources dedicated to cybersecurity in more prosperous states like Maryland and New York. 

What Counter Measures Are Being Taken?

AP News discussed how police in Washington, DC experienced a massive data leak perpetrated by a ransomware gang. The New York Times reported a cyberattack that forced the Suffolk County, New York government offline for several weeks. So what are people doing in response?

Oliver Page says, ‘The Biden administration released a 2023 National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCS), which aims to defend critical infrastructure and disrupt and dismantle threat actors. Other goals include shaping market forces, investing in a resilient future, and forging international partnerships.’

Oliver Page’s Top Tips On How To Protect Yourself

Here are some practical ways to defend your data from cybercriminals:

• Regularly update your software

• Train your household to take preventative measures

• Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN), particularly if using public/free Wi-Fi

• Install antivirus software 

• Update your social media privacy settings 

• Use complex passwords and regularly change them

• Stay abreast of the latest scams 

Oliver Page says, ‘The risks are real, so steps must be taken at an individual, state-wide, and international level. In turn, we can frustrate cybercriminals and use the Internet without fear.’